President Lee Jae-myung and Donald Trump May Meet at Upcoming International Summits

President Lee Jae-myung has decided not to attend the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) summit in The Hague, Netherlands, on June 24-25, which has shifted the focus to his anticipated first meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. The two leaders were initially scheduled to meet during the G7 summit in Canada last week, but the meeting was canceled when President Trump returned early due to the escalating situation in the Middle East.

The presidential office has reportedly set a goal for the summit to take place by August at the latest. If the meeting does not occur by then, the first encounter could potentially happen during the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September or at the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, in late October. Former President Moon Jae-in met with Trump just 52 days after taking office.

Amid urgent issues such as tariffs from the U.S., the presidential office has been keen on facilitating this meeting. National Security Office Director Wi Sung-lak advised President Lee that meeting Trump once is different from meeting him twice, suggesting attendance at both the G7 and NATO summits, to which President Lee reportedly agreed. However, the atmosphere changed when the G7 meeting did not lead to a discussion, and indications emerged that Trump might not attend the NATO summit either.

A ruling party official noted that if Trump were to attend both days of the NATO summit, there would have been a chance for a 20-30 minute bilateral meeting. However, uncertainty has since clouded the situation. Another official mentioned that while they would have had to attend if Trump was going, the unpredictable developments in the Middle East made it reasonable to skip the summit.

Some speculate that Wi, who has been categorized as part of the 'alliance faction,' may have lost out to more critical 'independent faction' advisors regarding U.S. relations. In response, a ruling party official stated that the old factional distinctions of 'independent' versus 'alliance' are outdated, emphasizing that the current situation is genuinely challenging.